An arrow can be deflected from its intended path when one or more vanes secured to the shaft of the arrow strike one or more of the arrow shaft supports of the arrow rest. It would be desirable, therefore, to have an arrow rest with arrow shaft supports that pivot away from the arrow shaft with sufficient speed to prevent any of the arrow vanes from striking any of the arrow shaft supports. Because the arrow shaft supports must move rapidly away from the rapidly accelerating shaft of the arrow, it would be desirable if the arrow shaft supports were accelerated away from the arrow shaft by a spring tension force.